Article dispensing device



Oct. 5, 1965 w. T. SMYTHE 3,210,140

ARTICLE DISPENSING DEVICE Filed July 8', 1965 FIG. I

FIG. 3 f I; .1

INVENTOR. WILLIAM T SMYTl-IE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,210,140ARTICLE DISPENSING DEVICE William T. Smythe, 231 S. Ranburn, Azusa,Calif. Filed July 8, 1963, Ser. No. 293,453 9 Claims. (Cl. 312-42) Thepresent invention relates generally to an improved apparatus or devicefor dispensing small articles; more particularly, the invention relatesto an improved and simplified device for dispensing standard cigarettepackages and articles of similar configuration.

In a preferred embodiment, the dispensing device of the invention has arectilinear storage and dispensing passage which has open ends. Aretainer flange extends inwardly from the lower end of a wall of thepassage to retain articles. A deflector in the form of a ramp extendsinwardly from an opposite passage wall, the deflector being spacedupwardly from the lower end of the passage. In moving into the downmostposition in the passage, an article, such as a package of cigarettes, isurged by the deflector toward the wall from which the retainer extends.The package is thus positioned between that wall and the deflector andis retained in that position by the retainer. To remove or dispense thepackage from the dispensing device, the lower portion of the package ismanually grasped, appropriate spaces being provided adjacent the packagefor this purpose, and is tilted about the deflector as a fulcrum todisengage the lower portion of the package from the retainer. Thepackage is then readily pulled or dispensed from the device.

Certain dimensions of the device are relatively critical with respect toproviding an efficient, conveniently operable device for dispensingparticular packages, such as packages of cigarettes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved and simplified device for dispensing standard cigarettepackages and items of similar configuration.

An object of the invention is the provision of a dispensing deviceaccording to the foregoing object, which is configurated and adapted tobe readily adaptable for fabrication in decorative and/or artisticstyles and configurations.

An object of this invention is the provision of a dispens ing deviceaccording to the foregoing object which is adapted to complement andenhance the decor and environment of homes and other environments.

It is an object of the invention to provide a dispensing device forpackages such as cigarette packages, wherein deflector means andretainer means extend into a passage to position a lowermost package forconvenient manual manipulation to remove the package from the dispensingdevice.

An object of the invention is the provision of a dispensing deviceaccording to the foregoing object wherein the lowermost package ispivoted about the deflector as a fulcrum to disengage the package fromthe retainer to release and remove the package from the dispensingdevice.

An object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device accordingto the foregoing object wherein particular critical dimensions areprovided to effect proper and convenient operation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent to those versed in the art from a consideration of thefollowing description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of thedispensing device of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partial view, partially in section, showingstructural details of the operative features of the dispensing device ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken at line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view taken at line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a partial elevational sectional view of the lower endportion of the dispensing device, taken at line 55 of FIGURE 4 andillustrating manual grasping of a package for removal of the packagefrom the dispensing device; and

FIGURE 6 is a partial perspective view, partially in section, showingdetails of the lower end portion of the dispensing device.

Referring to the drawing, FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a preferredembodiment of the invention wherein an upright vertical rectilinearcontainer 10 has elongated passage which is open at its upper and lowerends. The packages to be dispensed, such as standard packages ofcigarettes, are inserted into the upper end of the passage, .and aredispensed from the lower end, in the manner hereinafter described. Asshown, the container 10 has a simplified configuration and has a largeflat outer wall surface, which adapted for the provision of pleasingstyling and decorative appearances.

The storage and dispensing passage is defined by a back or rear wall 12,a front wall 14 and two internal side Wall members 16, 18. The side wallmembers are spaced or extend inwardly from outer walls 22 and 24,respectively. The lower ends of the side wall members are spacedupwardly from the lower ends of the outer walls 22 and 24, as best shownin FIGURES 2 and 5. The side wall members 16, 18 have transverselyextending portions 26, 2S and end portions 32, 34 which extend.vdownwardly along the outer walls 22, 24 and are secured thereto, as bywelding.

The upper end portions of side wall members 16 and 18 are tapered, asshown in FIGURE 2 at 38 and 40, to facilitate and guide the insertion ofpackages into the passage. The upper edges of the side wall members arepreferably secured to the outer wall members 22 and 24 by crimping theupper edges of the outer walls over the upper edges of the side wallmembers, as indicated at 42 in FIGURE 2.

Referring to FIGURES 2, 4 and 5, a retainer or retainer flange 46extends inwardly from the lower edge of the front wall 12. Deflectors50, 52, in the form of ramps inwardly inclined in the downwarddirection, ex tend inwardly from the rear wall 14, the deflectors beingspaced upwardly from the lower end of the passage and from the retainerflange 46.

In the utilization of the device, a package, such as a package ofcigarettes, moves into the lowermost position in the passage as theprevious lowermost package is removed from the dispensing device. As apackage moves downwardly into the lowermost position, the deflectors 50,52 urge the package in the direction away from the rear wall 14 andtoward the front wall 12. The lowermost package is thus positionedagainst the front wall 12 with its lower side engaging the retainerflange 46 so that the retainer 46 retains the packages in the passage.

To remove or dispense the lowermost package from the dispensing device,the lower portion of the lowermost package is manually grasped in themanner indicated in FIGURE 5, the finger and thumb being accommodatedfor this purpose by the spaces provided at the respective ends of thepackage, these spaces being defined by the transverse portions 26, 28and the end portions 32, 34 of the side wall members 16, 18, as shown.The lower end portion of the package is moved in the direction indicatedby the arrow in FIGURE 3, thereby pivoting the upper portion of thepackage about the fulcrum provided by the lower ends of the deflectors50, 52. This movement disengages the lower end portion of the packagefrom the retainer flange 46, as indicated in phantom out line in FIGURE3, thereby permitting the package to be easily pulled from the lower endof the dispensing device. The removal of the lowermost package causesanother package to move in the lowermost position, in which it isproperly positioned by the deflectors 50, 52 and the retainer 46 formanual removal as hereinbefore described.

In order for the dispensing device to operate efiiciently andsuccessfully in the dispensing of conventional cigarette packages,certain relative dimensions are relatively critical. For satisfactoryoperation, the passage should be 3.5 inches by 1.06 inches. The retainerflange 46 should extend inwardly 7 inch from the front wall 12. Thelower edges of the deflectors 5t), 52 should extend inwardly 7 inch fromthe rear wall 14, and should be spaced 1.5 inches from the upper surfaceof the retainer flange 46. These dimensions are relatively criticalwithin plus or minus inch.

From the foregoing, those versed in the art will appreciate that thepresent invention achieves the objects and realizes the advantageshereinbefore mentioned, as well as other advantages which will beapparent from the description and drawing.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described herein, it will be understood that the same ismerely exemplary of presently preferred embodiments capable of attainingthe objects and advantages hereinbefore mentioned, and that theinvention is not limited thereto; variations will be readily apparent tothose versed in the art, and the invention is entitled to the broadestinterpretation within the terms of the appended claims.

The inventor claims:

1. A device for dispensing articles, comprising means defining arectilinear storage and dispensing passage having open ends and havingfront and rear walls extending substantially to the ends, retainer meansextending inwardly from the lower end portion of a first wall of saidpassage to retain articles in the passage, and at least one deflectorextending inwardly from a second wall of the passage opposite from saidfirst wall and spaced upwardly from the lower end of the passage andfrom said retainer means, whereby an article moving downwardly in thepassage is urged by the deflector in a direction from the second wall tothe first wall to be retained by said retainer, and whereby the articlemay be manually pivoted entirely within said passage about saiddeflector as a fulcrum to disengage the article from the retainer todispense the article from the device.

2. A device for dispensing articles, comprising means defining arectilinear storage and dispensing passage having open ends and havingfront and rear walls extending substantially to the ends, retainer meansextending inwardly from the lower end portion of a first wall of saidpassage to retain articles in the passage, and at least one deflector inthe form of a ramp inwardly inclined in the downward direction, saidramp extending from a second wall of the passage opposite from saidfirst wall and being spaced upwardly from said retainer means, wherebythe article during downward movement is urged by the ramp toward thefirst passage wall to engage said retainer to retain the article in thelower end portion of the passage, whereby the article may be manuallypivoted entirely within said passage about the lower end of thedeflector as a fulcrum to disengage the article from the retainer todispense the article from the device.

3. A device for dispensing articles, comprising means defining arectilinear storage and dispensing passage having open ends and havingfront and rear walls extending substantially to the ends, means definingspaces adjacent to the lower end of said passage to accommodate manualgrasping of an article positioned in the lower end portion of thepassage, retainer means extending inwardly from the lower end portion ofa first wall of said passage to retain articles in the passage, and atleast one dcflfictor extending inwardly from a second wall of thepassage opposite from said first wall and spaced upwardly from the lowerend of the passage and from said retainer means, whereby an articlemoving downwardly in the passage is urged by the deflector in adirection from the second wall to the first wall to be retained by saidretainer, and whereby the article may be manually pivoted entirelywithin said passage about said deflector .as a fulcrum to disengage thearticle from the retainer to dispense the article from the device.

4. A device for dispensing articles, comprising means defining arectilinear storage and dispensing passage having open ends, meansdefining spaces adjacent to the lower end of said passage to accomodatemanual grasping of an article positioned in the lower end portion of thepassage, a retainer flange extending inwardly from the lower end portionof a first wall of the passage to retain articles in the passage, and atleast one deflector extending inwardly from a second wall of the passageopposite from said first wall and spaced upwardly from the lower end ofthe passage and from said retainer means, said second wall beingsubstantially coextensive with said first wall, said passage having itslower end opening so dimensioned that the distance between the inner endof the retainer flange and the opposite second wall is the ruinimumnecessary to permit passage of the article therebetween, whereby anarticle moving downwardly in the passage is urged by the deflector in adirection from the second wall to the first wall to be retained by saidretainer, and whereby the article may be manually pivoted entirelywithin said passage about said deflector as a fulcrum to disengage thearticle from the retainer to dispense the article from the device.

I 5. A device for dispensing articles, comprising a rectilinear passagedefined by a front wall, a rear wall and side wall members, said frontwall being substantially coextensive with the rear wall, said side wallmembers being spaced inwardly from outer side walls and having theirlower ends spaced upwardly from the lower end of the passage to providespaces for manual grasping of an article 1n the lower end portion of thepassage, retainer means extending inwardly from the lower end portion ofa first wall of said passage to retain articles in the passage, and atleast one deflector extending inwardly from a second wall of the passageopposite from said first Wall and spaced upwardly from the lower end ofthe passage and from said retainer means, whereby an article movingdownwardly in the passage is urged by the deflector in a d rection fromthe second wall to the first wall to be retained by said retainer, andwhereby the article may be manually pivoted entirely within said passageabout said deflector as a fulcrum to disengage the article from theretainer to dispense the article from the device.

6 A device for dispensing packages of cigarettes, comprising meansdefining a rectilinear storage and dispensing pazsrzgglti lifglilpgaopen ends, said passage being defined by front wall beingsubstantially coextensive with the rear wall, said front and rear wallsbeing spaced apart a distance substantially of an inch greater than thethickness of a conventional cigarette package, a retainer flangeextending inwardly substantially 7 of an inch from the lower end portionof said front wall, and at least one deflector extending inwardlysubstantially J of an inch from the rear wall and spaced upwardly fromsaid retamer flange, whereby a package moving downwardly in the passagein an upright position is urged by the deflector in a direction from thesecond wall to the first wall to be retained by said retainer, andwhereby the package may be manually pivoted about said deflector as afulcrum to disengage the package from the retainer to dispense thepackage from the device.

rear wall and side wall members, said 5 6 7. A dispensing deviceaccording to claim 6 wherein References Cited by the Examiner saiddeflector is an inwardly extending ramp having its UNITED STATES PATENTSlower edge spaced substantially 1.5 inches upwardly from the uppersurface of said retainer flange. 1,293,434 2/19 Hlnes et 312-45 8. Adispensing device according a claim 6, wherein 5 1382092 5 Kllmer thetransverse dimension of said passage is substantially 35 2 Z g 1 3.5inches, whereby cigarette packages of conventional 1980819 11/34 312:42e g s re a ed" Bryan 9. A dispensing device according to claim 6,wherein 2:342:452 2/44 Cashier; 312 42 said front and rear passage wallsare spaced apart slightly 10 in excess of one inch. CLAUDE A. LE ROY,Primary Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR DISPENSING ARTICLES, COMPRISING MEANS DEFINING ARECTILINEAR STORAGE AND DISPENSING PASSAGE HAVING OPEN ENDS AND HAVINGFRONT AND REAR WALLS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE ENDS, RETAINER MEANSEXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE LOWER END PORTION OF A FIRST WALL OF SAIDPASSAGE TO RETAIN ARTICLES IN THE PASSAGE, AND AT LEAST ONE DEFLECTOREXTENDING INWARDLY FROM A SECOND WALL OF THE PASSAGE OPPOSITE FROM SAIDFIRST WALL AND SPACED UPWARDLY FROM THE LOWER END OF THE PASSAGE ANDFROM SAID RETAINER MEANS, WHEREBY AN ARTICLE MOVING DOWNWARDLY IN THEPASSAGE IS URGED BY THE DEFLECTOR IN A DIRECTION FROM THE SECOND WALL TOTHE FIRST WALL TO BE RETAINED BY SAID RETAINER, AND WHEREBY THE ARTICLEMAY BE MANUALLY PIVOTED ENGIRELY WITHIN SAID PASSAGE ABOUT SAIDDEFLECTOR AS A FULCRUM TO DISENGAGE THE ARTICLE FROM THE RETAINER TODISPENSE THE ARTICLE FROM THE DEVICE.